On 30 July, 1949, the Legal Aid and Advice Act received Royal Assent, heralding the creation of the modern legal aid system. Last week, sixty years later, the Legal Action Group (LAG) held its conference to mark the anniversary of what is arguably one of the key components of the welfare state. Given the impact of the recession, both on government spending and on potential litigants looking to enforce their rights, this is an especially important time to reflect on the past, present and future of legal aid.
A brief history of Legal Aid
